british team ready for european mountain running championships

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The European (Up and Down) Mountain Running Championships take place on Saturday with 16 athletes targeting further medal success in the Italian mountains of Arco.

Trials winners Andrew Douglas (coach: Sophie Dunnett) and Rebecca Hilland will lead the line in the senior men’s and women’s teams respectively after convincing displays at the Trials in Whinlatter Forest in May.

Hilland earns her first GB international call-up after only taking up the discipline last year. The Bath athlete will fly out to Arco alongside a very strong senior women’s team which contains 2015 world (up and down) silver medallist Emmie Collinge. She was additionally part of the gold medal winning team in Wales alongside Sarah Tunstall, who is also selected after a third place finish at the Trials. Heidi Dent (Derek Hurton) completes the quartet who will be one of the favourites for a team podium position in the Italian mountains.

The senior men’s team is spearheaded by Douglas who has a wealth of experience in a British vest over the last few years, and is joined by Chris Smith, Ben Mounsey and Tom Adams* who were also part of the bronze medal winning team at the world championships last September.

Trials winners Laura Stark (Arthur Smith) and Gavin Bryson (Garry Robertson) are named in the junior teams and they will achieve their debut GB vests.

*Alex Pilcher has withdrawn due to injury and has been replaced by Tom Adams.

The full British Athletics team for the European Mountain Running Championships in Arco, Italy on July 2nd 2016: